This RP gained its required four votes on the 14th of November, 2012. Its a Fantasy RPG set in the Dragon Age Universe, but desgined so all fantasy lovers can enjoy it and not just those that played, in my least than humble opinion, one of the greatest BioWare games ever. Voters:Ro WongBG07IrisAsmodai

Dragon Age: Divided Kingdom

General HistorySituationsRacesEnemiesOrganizationsLocationsClassesCharacter Sheets

General History:Thousands of years ago, a group of Mages entered into the reality known as the Fade. The Fade is where we go when we die, and also when we sleep. There is a city there, once known as the Golden City, where the god-like being called the Maker lived. These Mages wanted to get to heaven, and found a way into the beautiful city. It happened only in moments, but the sins of the Mages corrupt the beautiful city, turning it into the Black City. They themselves were also corrupted by their own sins, turning them into the first of the Darkspawn. That is what the Chantry, and legends tell us where these monsters came from.

The Darkspawn have plagued the world ever since, decimating the Dwarven Kingdom, and nearly bringing the end of all that we know. They are always present, acting like a mindless horde. The real danger of them, when they get bold and begin to attack those on the surface, is known as a Blight. The ground itself literally begins to die, and the skys darken around the horde. This is caused when they find an Old God. They somehow corrupt these Old Gods, creating an Archdemon that leads the Darkspawn Hordes against the surface world. The Archdemon manifests itself in the form of a dragon.

During the first Blight arose an order, known as the Grey Wardens, an order of fearless individuals who fight the darkspawn, and are the only ones capable of killing an Archdemon, though they themselves die in the process. The Wardens have existed ever since, always in vigilance against the rise of the darkspawn. They have served humanity for 2030 years. Five Blights have occurred during that time. The last Blight, the fifth Blight, occurred three hundred years ago. During that time, all of the people of Fereldin, not just humans, but also the dwaves, elves, mages, people from all walks of life came together under the banner of the Grey Wardens to fight for freedom, and for the future. This was all made possible because of one person, who history has called simply, the Warden.

The Warden united the people; rallying them to stand and fight. History has not seen such a dynamic individual since then. But we need one right now…

The Kingdom is in danger of collapse, and the darkspawn are once again on the rise. Infighting has weakened it terribly, but the responsibility of such devastation it isn’t just the humans. The elves, dwarves, mages, even the Grey Wardens have weakened because of infighting. The world needs new heroes to follow in the steps of those who had gone before them, to unite the people against the common enemy. Are you one of these heroes?

Situations: This is the Situations of the Land of Fereldin, and the world you are going to be stepping into.

(A letter intercepted on its way to Highever, from Drail Hailstom, Arl of Redcliffe)

To Vern Cousland, Teryn of Highever

Brother, we are in dire circumstances. The King’s state is rapidly deteriorating. I know that his sons will remain quiet and not fight while he’s alive, but that won’t be for too much longer. I don’t know if he will be able to declare an heir… All hell is about to break loose, and you and the teryn of Gwaren aren’t helping the situation either. The Kingdom is at stake, by Andrastre herself, the lives of hundreds of thousands of people are at stake, and you’re PLAYING GAMES!?! … Brother, forgive me. I speak too harshly of this. I know that you are in command, and that you will indeed fight for truth and justice. But I am worried about you. You haven’t been quite the same since our parents died. We can’t treat this like some game. This is the worst thing that has faced us, that has faced Thedas since the Darkspawn first appeared, or since that hellhole Ferelden found itself in since the last Blight. I worry. I worry about the future for my kids. I worry about you. You know that when the time comes, I will stand by your side… with whatever is left of Redcliffe.

I know that you are aware of some of what is happening, but my spies were able to discover more to add to the situation. Here is an account of what they have found. We need to talk, as soon as possible.

- Arl Drail Hailstrom, of Redcliffe.

]The Kingdom of Fereldin: King Therin is dying from an unknown aliment. Mages, Doctors, Herbalists, even the Chantry have been summoned to the King's bedside to discover the cause of the sickness. Nothing, so far. The King has two sons. Twins. Neither one has been declared heir yet. Already they are arguing about it, and summoning as much support as they can get to their side from the Nobles. The King is still alive, and already they are fighting for the throne. There may also be a noble or two who desire to be king instead, but my sources haven't been able to find that out yet. The Landsmeet is coming up soon. I suspect it will be then that the twins, or whoever else, will attempt to marshal enough support to take the thrown.

The other problem is has been nicknamed "The Peasant's Rebellion". There hasn't been any bloodshed yet, thank the Maker, but it could come down to it. It’s an idea going around the commoners, about the people having full rule, and abolishing the positions that the nobles hold, Bann, Arl, Teryn, King. They will hold the places of history and legend, as the people seek to rule themselves. They call it Democracy. Some nobles agree with it, seeking positions of power if the change happens. Other nobles are opposed to it and so are a lot of the commoners. It’s going to lead us into a Civil War if the King's Sons don't first. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they or someone else decides to try and play this to get to the King’s throne.

If we are to avoid going into another all out civil war over this matter, the King or somebody needs to get this resolved soon and fast.

Elven Conflict: As we both know, several years after the end of the Fifth Blight, a powerful mage arose and organized several of the Dalish tribes and alienage elves. This mage lead them deep within the Brecilian Forest. Somehow they “cured” the forest of its illness, driving back the dark spirits and sealing the cracks there in the Fade. They then established that part of the Brecilian Forest as the Revas’Thala, “Free Land”, and established the city of Quel’Elhen “High People”. That’s their history in brief, but there is a problem now.

My scouts have reported that there is strong opposition forming against these new elves of Revas’Thala, from their own brethren, the Dalish Tribes that still inhabit the raw parts of the Brecilian Forest. They view their brethren has “heritics” and claim that they have turned from the elven way, and must be purged. The Dalish elves have even sought help from the Chantry, hoping to use their formidable Templars against their “rogue” brethren by citing that the Quel’Elhen’s use of magic is to heal the forest is endangering everyone.

The Quel’Elhen’s elves though, seek to continue their ways, claiming that the old traditions are of no use, and new ones must be established. They see their usage of magic to be a resource that doesn’t need to be limited or put under Chantry control since no blood magic is being preformed.

Honestly, I don’t give a damn about who is right here. What I do care about is our Southern Boarders. We have Ostagar, but those elves cover the section where the fortress can’t. Should the new elven kingdom fall and nobody patrols that section, then our enemies can take half the kingdom while we aren’t looking. The Darkspawn could come from that direction like they did during the fifth Blight, but the Chasind Wilders, the nomadic people we thought wouldn’t pose a threat ever again, are starting to ignore that belief and pose as a threat again. Stability needs to be brought to that region, one way or another.

Templar/Mage Conflict: Something is happening within the Circles, the places where the mages live. The templar, those who safe guard the mages from outsiders and from themselves, are getting more hostile towards mages and everything else. I fear an old grudge match is coming back from the last Mage-Templar War. I’m sorry; I wish I had more information on this. The Templars aren’t letting any news out. If resolved though, the mages could be used to fortify our armies against the darkspawn and other threats, or be used against the Quel'Elhen elves.

Darkspawn Threat:The darkspawn are amassing again. There have been attacks in the south and in the north. Some of the Grey Wardens believe that another Blight is about to occur, but the First Warden is hesitant to launch an attack without any evidence. The dwarves also don’t wish to commit any resources to anything that is a rumor. A Grey Warden party, led by the Warden-Commander, Talyon Lothar, is investigating the situation in the Deep roads. The Dwarves did comment to my merchants, that the Warden-Commander embarked on his Calling. A few wardens, including his announced successor, and members of the Legion of the Dead, went with the hero into the Deep Trenches, where the Horde is its thickest. Something happened , and someone is on their way back with news. We must prepare our forces. There is a small unit at Ostagar, but they won’t hold if the darkspawn come from the south again.

Grey Wardens:A division is appearing in the Grey Wardens. Before Vigil’s Keep’s Warden-Commander left on his Calling, Talyon Lothar named a successor, Valmyria Windstrider. That news wasn’t taken very well by the Order, who viewed her has being too young for the job. Rumor has it that she was also his mistress. There is also some contention from the elves within the Grey Warden’s at Vigil’s Keep and of the Silver Order towards their new Warden-Commander because she is one of the Quel’Elhen elves. She’ll have to prove herself to her fellow Wardens to gain their trust and loyalty. For now they will follow hesitantly follow her, but it is to be seen if she will make a good commander. The Grey Wardens need a stable commander. Certain individuals though may have to take actions into their own hands to ensure a stable commander by replacing her with a more experienced Warden, instead of waiting on her to fill the position. The only way to do that though is her death.

That’s about it, my Lord. At least the dwarves are stable. I hope this gives you a full understanding of what is going on. We’re in a time where we need heroes to stand and fight. I’m assembling a small team of creative individuals, and I am sure that there is going to be more willing to join the fight.

Races:HumansDwarvesElvesQuel'ElhenQunari

Humans: Humans are the most common of the races on the face of Thedas. The reasoning behind humanity's rapid rate of expansion and ability to thrive while the other races are dwindling is their ability to adapt and skill in numerous fields where other races are weakened. Religion and the Chantry play a large part in human society. It distinguishes them culturally from elves and dwarves more than anything else.

Dwarves: The dwarves are a strong, stocky, and short people. However, they have a long tradition of courage and martial skill that has served them well in their millennias-long battle against the darkspawn in the Deep Roads. This has had a harsh effect on their race. They are in decline. The dwarves once had a massive underground network of twelve great cities, known as thaigs that stretched through out Thedas. The darkspawn caught the dwarven nation off guard, and in the middle of a civil war. They were nearly destroyed, and have been fighting the darkspawn ever since. The only city they still have is the great city of Orzammar, and three smaller thaigs that have been reclaimed by the dwarves since the darkspawn have retreated back. The smaller thaigs are in disrepair, and efforts are still being made to ensure safe habitation and travel to the thaigs.

The dwarves are ruled by an elected King from the house of nobles, usually the strongest noble. Politics among the dwarves are backstabbing (literally) at best. Which is funny considering that their race is dying out from both constant darkspawn attacks, and increasing infertility rates. The dwarven social hierarchy is ruled by complex, interrelated, and rigid castes. the very bottom of the caste is the castless, regarded as outcasts in their own city, unable to take up work among the higher castes. Above the casteless (in no particular order) are merchants, miners, smiths, warriors, servants (only one step above casteless), and nobles. Nobles stand at the very top of this system, as the royal house stands at the top of their caste. While it is possible for some dwarves to better their family's station by performing great deeds and/or siring children with higher-caste dwarves, these remain rare and difficult circumstances.

Elves: (regarded as wood-elves)Elves are the oldest race in Thedas. They were the dominate power since before the humans ever arrived on Thedas. The elves at this time were immortal, living for hundreds of lifetimes. They were a skillful people, magically talented and lived in harmony with nature. Their lands were known as "Elvhenan" or "place of our people". Their capital was Arlathan, meaning "this place I love".

At first contact with the humans, things were pretty fine, until it was noticed that exposure to the human presence began to make them grow old faster. In fear, the elves withdrew from human contact. Unfortunately, the human tribals gave way to the Tevinter Imperium, who viewed the elves' isolation as hostility and declared war. Elvhenan fell in less than a decade. The elves, now homeless and enslaved, lost their immortality, lore, and culture. It would take the fall of the Imperium, before the elves would gain a new homeland. The enslaved elves assisted the prophetess known as Andraste, who would later set the foundation of the human religion, the Chantry. This new homeland was known as the Dales. The elven people began the slow process of recovering the culture and traditions they had lost to slavery. But it was not to last. The Chantry first sent missionaries into the Dales, and then, when those were thrown out, Templar Legions followed in the second of religious crusades, known as the Exalted Marches.

After that, the elven people broke up into two groups, the City or Alienage Elves, and the Dalish Elves. Elves who accepted the Chantry's offered truce were required to accept the Maker and live in slums, known as alienages, within human settlements, becoming the city elves. Some elves, however, refused to give up their worship or their dream of their own homeland. These became the Dalish, retaining the name of their second lost homeland and vowing to keep elven language, lore and religion alive. The Dalish travel in clans and tribes, often avoiding humans on the exception of trade. They also avoid each other, in order to protect each other. Should one get captured or destroyed, the other tribes will be safe. The only time the tribes gather together is in a meeting known as Arlathvhen. Here, they share gathered lore and knowledge with each other.

These elves still bear the characteristics of their ancestors. They have a slender, lithe build, pointed ears and are shorter than your average human, but taller than the dwarves. Their life span is also the same as the humans.

Quel'Elhen: (Regarded as High Elves)Even now, there is a third split, known as the Quel'Elhen Elves, or High Elves. Sometime after the Fifth blight, an elven mage railed a few of the Dalish tribes and alienage elves, and went deep into the Brecilian Forest. This mage is known to history as, Sunstrider. By Sunstrider's leadership, they somehow they “cured” the forest of its illness, driving back the dark spirits and sealing the cracks there in the Fade. They then established that part of the Brecilian Forest as the Revas’Thala, “Free Land”, and established the city of Quel’Elhen “High People”.

It’s unknown what source of magic they used to cure the forest, but they managed to do it. But these elves, within less than a few generations, began to look different from their Dalish and City brothers. The first most noticeable difference was that they began to get taller, rivaling that of a human. Their ears also increased in length, a mark that their excellent hearing had improved even more. High Elves also began to regain their immortality, not to the point where they can live for centuries, but that they have twice the lifespan of a human. The changes in these elves have been credited to the high intensity of the magic in the area of which they now live in. Magic has become part of their blood, potentially toxic to other races as well. All of the people have some sort of degree of magical power, but unless that potential is harnessed, it fades from the user’s abilities.

Thus a new breed of elves emerged. Much to the anger of the Dalish tribes, who sought to reclaim their past. They regard the High Elves as heretics, blaming them for defiling and destroying many sacred sites of their people. The Quel'Elhen simply acknowledges a fall and followed a new course. They began establishing new traditions and a new culture. The Elves are relatively friendly, and open to trading with all races. They have embraced nature, discarding the beliefs of the elven gods. They claim there is but one God, called the Creator. This Creator is female, the only one who can give birth to life, nature. Quel'Elhen religion involves feasts on days of harvest, planting, and solaces. They believe that nature is to be respected and nurtured, and that their fellows are to be treated with kindness. They have shed their brethern's choice of clothing, opting for more colorful outfits in their cities, and practical uses of forest colors and leather when in the woods. Due to their belief in the Creator being female, there is a Elven Queen that rules over the people, instead of a King. The Queen answers to the King of Ferldin though, acting more like an unofficial Teryness.

The Darkspawn: The darkspawn are a race of mostly-humanoid tainted creatures that dwell in the Deep Roads. According to the Chantry, they were created when the magisters of the Tevinter Imperium opened a portal into the Golden City, tainting the realm of the Maker with their corruption and returning as the darkspawn, their evil transfiguring them into the monsters they became. When they uncover one of the Old Gods, they expose it to the taint, changing it into an Archdemon, which then leads them in an attack against the surface world called a Blight. The darkspawn are perhaps the greatest single threat to all of Thedas; they are bloodthirsty, exceptionally numerous and willing to indiscriminately kill or corrupt all in their path. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Darkspawn

The Darkspawn Hordes have many creatures themselves in various ranks. In all of the races that make up the Darkspawn, there is general units, their leaders, known as Alphas, and spellcasters called emissaries.

*Ghouls: Living creatures that contract the Taint from any darkspawn normally die from the corruption. However, those ill-fated to survive become something twisted: Ghouls, or tainted humanoid creatures with a blotchy look and a sickly tone to their skin. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Ghouls

*Genlock: These are the basic infantry of the darkspawn horde. Genlocks often accompany hurlocks in battle as archers. Genlocks are born from broodmothers that were once female dwarves. Since the dwarves regularly fight darkspawn, this would explain why genlocks are the most common type of darkspawn. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Genlock

*Sheriek: Shrieks are born from broodmothers who were once female elves. Sherieks are fast, quick, and deadly. they can outmanuver larger appoints, and quickly kill them using their arm blades. They are masters of stealth, and are regarded as hunters, assassins, scouts, and elite shock units in the Darkspawn Hordes.

*Hurlocks: Taller than their genlock cousins, the hurlocks are roughly of human-size but are possessed of considerable strength and constitution. The shock troop of the darkspawn, a single berserking hurlock can often be a match for numerous opponents at once. They are known to adorn themselves with roughly-carved tattoos to keep track of their kills and deeds, though it is unknown whether or not there is a uniform standard to these markings.http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Hurlocks

*Ogres: Ogres are the massive, brutish shock troopers of the darkspawn horde. Dwarfing their darkspawn brethren, ogres attack opponents with brute force and monumental strength, acting as living siege weapons. Standing above even the normal ogres are the ogre alphas; these monstrosities are no larger, but are far stronger, and are usually accompanied by shrieks. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Ogre

*Broodmothers: The darkspawn cannot reproduce. They must rely on broodmothers. Broodmothers are created by subjecting females of the humanoid races to the darkspawn taint, possibly by being force-fed darkspawn tissue or humanoid tissue that has been infected by the taint. The race of the broodmother directly influences which kind of darkspawn she will give birth to. An elven broodmother will spawn shrieks, a dwarven broodmother genlocks, a human broodmother hurlocks, and a kossith broodmother ogre. Each broodmother is capable of spawning thousands of darkspawn. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Broodmother

*Disciples: The Disciples are the creation of the Architect. During his research and experiments with the taint, he discovered that the darkspawn can gain immunity to the Calling of the Old Gods (Archdemons) by ingesting the blood of a Grey Warden. Since these Disciples are sapient beings, they have developed their own personalities, with the ability to speak, strategize and choose for themselves, making them disturbingly humanlike. It’s unknown what will happen should an Archdemon appear, since the Disciples were created after the Fifth Blight. It is suspected that they would either side with the Archdemon, or be destroyed. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/The_Disciples

Organizations:Chantry: The Chantry is the dominant religious organization across Thedas, whose philosophy is based upon the life and teachings of the prophetess Andraste. These teachings are contained in what is known as the Chant of Light. They believe that the message of the Light needs to be spread to all corners of the world, including all of the races as well. It is believed that once the Chant has been spread across the world, and all have accepted it, that the Maker will return to the world and return it to its previous Edenic state. They have a distrusting of magic, but can't destroy it. Instead they have created "Circles" and the Templar Order to safe guard the world from magic, and allow the mages to live rather "normal" lives.

Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they Who have taken His gift And turned it against His children. They shall be named Maleficar, accursed ones. They shall find no rest in this world Or beyond. -Transfigurations 1:2

The actual priesthood of the Chantry is made up entirely of women, on the basis that Andraste was a woman. Men can be brothers, serving as academics and initiates, but it is a junior position and non-ordained. At the head of the Chantry is the Divine, who leads from her seat in the Grand Cathedral of Val Royeaux. Below her are the grand clerics, some of whom administer the chantries of major cities. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Chantry

The Chantry is one of the most powerful forces in Thedas. Three other organizations exist within the chantry; The Circle of Magi, the Templar Order, and the Seekers of Truth.

*Circle of Magi: The Circle of Magi is the dominant organization for the training of mages within nations of Thedas. They are governed and monitored by the Chantry. Mages who escape from the Templar and the Cicle towers are known as apostates, and are hunted down to either be killed or returned back to the tower. Often times, these renegade mages turn to the forbidden arts of blood magic, and become blood mages or maleficar. Blood magic involves using the life forces of other individuals to fuel immensely powerful magics.

Mages who are too weak of will to resist demonic possession or appear to be dangerous are forced (or willingly volunteer) to go through the Rite of Tranquility, which involves the use of a lyrium (magic enhancement) brand to cut off a mage's connection to the Fade: they can no longer dream. As a side effect, their emotional center is utterly removed.http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Circle_of_Magi

*Templar Order: The Templar Order is a military order of the Chantry that, amongst their duties, hunts apostates and maleficar and watches over the mages from the Circle of Magi. While they are officially deemed a force of defenders by the Chantry, established to protect the communities of the faithful from magical threats, they are in fact an army unto themselves; well-equipped, highly disciplined and devoted to the destruction of non-believers in the name of the Maker. Templars are sworn to protect the world from the dangers of magic, but they also protect mages from the outside world, a world that fears these magic users for very good reasons. It is the templars' place to watch their charges for signs of weakness or corruption and, should they find it, to act without hesitation for the good of all. They can enact the Right of Annulment, which sets to purge an Circle if it gets out of hand. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Templar_Order

*Seekers of Truth: The organization appears to act as a check and balance to the power of the Templar Order, acting in a secretive, investigative and interrogative capacity to root out corruption and protect the Chantry from internal and external threats. They also may become involved in the hunting of particularly cunning apostates. Templars fear and despise the Seekers, as they must usually involve themselves when the templars are failing in their duties. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Seekers_of_Truth

Grey Wardens: The Grey Wardens are an ancient organization of warriors of exceptional ability dedicated to fighting darkspawn throughout Thedas. They are headquartered in the very place of their founding, the Weisshaupt Fortress in the Anderfels, but maintain a presence in most other nations as well. The Grey Wardens are known for ignoring a recruit's racial, social, national, and even criminal background if they deem the person valuable in terms of character or ability. the Grey Wardens can either invite, or invoke the Right of conscription, forcing the individual out of any situation, and into the ranks of the Grey Wardens. The Grey Wardens of Fereldin are based out of Vigil's Keep.

To become a Grey Warden, one must be permitted to join, at this point they are a recruit until they take place in a ceremony known as the Joining. Here, they must drink a special potion made of lyrium, darkspawn blood, and a single drop of blood from the archdemon. Few survive this process, as the individual must be strong enough to master the taint. Should they survive, they are officially Grey Wardens, and are forever bound to the darkspawn, forging a link between the two that enables the two to sense each other.

Eventually the taint claims the Wardens, and they undergo a process called, the Calling. Here they travel to the Deep roads, and fight until they die against the Darkspawn. Should they fail, the taint either slowly and painfully kills them, or they become ghouls. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Grey_Warden#The_Joining

Legion of the Dead: The actions of one family member can often severely diminish an entire House's place in the social hierarchy of the dwarves. Some disgraced dwarves will choose to go through a ceremonial "death" to clear their names and the names of their families. They walk out of Orzammar into the Deep Roads to fight darkspawn for the rest of their lives as a member of the Legion of the Dead. When one of their number dies, the Legion will bury him or her within the stone, and celebrate the fact that the fallen has finally found peace. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Legion_of_the_Dead

Rangers of the Arrow: Becoming more like a cult then an actual organization, the Rangers of the Arrow are special detachments of High elves, known as Rangers. The Rangers represent some of the best of the Quel'Elhen armed forces. They operate alone or in small numbers, usually five. When not patrolling their borders, they embark on special missions for the Elven Queen. Their symbol is that of a golden arrow in a blue background. Since no Templar are yet offically allowed into the lands yet, they are the ones that deal with rouge mages in the lands, using similar and their own techniques to deal with magic.

Land of Armaranthine: Given to the Grey Wardens after the fifth blight. The land is located along the northeastern sea. the city of Amaranthine—once a modest fishing village, now an important and prosperous port city and a center for trade in northern Ferelden. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Amaranthine

Highever: Highever is one of two Teryns left. It is in the Northern area of Fereldin, and has been ruled by the Cousland family for at least 500 years. Currently, the Teryn is Lord Vern Cousland, who amuses himself with games of politics, often putting those around him in danger, but able to save them from it just as quickly. He's reckless, but as a Teryn, he controls a large, well tained and armed army. He would be a valuable ally... should one be able to figure him out. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Highever

Gwaren: The other Teryn of Fereldin. Its a major, but remote town in Ferelden, described as being a "rough town full of loggers and fishermen". Its located in the Southern side of the Kingdom, and is very hard to reach. requiring either boat, or going a long a small windy trail to the North. Its on the other side of the Brecilian Forest. Oddly enough, Gwaren doesn't have a Teryn yet. Th pervious Teryn died of old age, and to decide a new one, a tournament is being held, where the winner will be crowned as Teryn of Gwaren, a very prestigious title.

Redcliffe: Redcliffe serves as the current western rival of Denerim. It sits in a strategic place between the entrance to Ozammar, and the rest of Fereldin. Restablish a long time ago when the humans feared a invasion from the Dwarves. Now, it would stand to ward of the darkspawn that would come from Ozammar, should it fall. The village around the castle grew until the arling was as much a powerful settlement as anything ruled by a teyrn. Is currently ruled by Drail Hailstom, the bastard brother of Teryn Vern Cousland. He is organizing a group of individuals to go and reunite the kingdom before the darkspawn launch another Blight. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Redcliffehttp://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Castle_ ... e_Overview

Orzammar: Orzammar was simply the home of the miner and smith castes. It is an awe–inspiring sight, a great city of stone standing within a vast cavern, poised over a sea of molten lava. There the forges ring loudest, and the finest smiths create works that are the envy of all races. But since the Deep Roads, and the dwarven kingdom fell to the darkspawn, it stands as the last bastion of the dwarven race and its finest creation. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Orzammar

Deep Roads: The Deep Roads are an extensive network of underground roads that once belonged to the dwarven kingdom. Many people of Ferelden thought these roads lost to time, but a large number of them still exist. The dwarves closed the Deep Roads off when they fell to the darkspawn during First Blight. The entrances still exist, but are all sealed by octagonal steel doors decorated with geometric patterns that may form words or patterns. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Deep_Roads

Ostagar: The fortress of Ostagar was once one of the most important defensive Imperial holdings south of the Waking Sea. Standing at the edge of the Korcari Wilds, its Tevinter garrisons watched for any signs of invasion by barbarians (those known to Ferelden as the Chasind Wilders). Straddling a narrow pass in the hills, the fortress kept the Chasind from the fertile lowlands of the north, being exceedingly difficult to attack due to its naturally defensible position. The Fortress fell into decay when the Tevinter Imperium collapsed to its present state, and was the site for a huge lose during the Fifth Blight, where Teryn Logain retreated, leaving his King to die.

Currently, it has been repaired, and a light garrison has been posted there to discourage any of the wilders from freely coming into Feredin and against any darkspawn, should they come from the south again.http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Ostagar

Brecilian Forrest: According to Sarel, the Dalish storyteller, there have been many wars and battles in the Brecilian Forest, many of which were between the elves and Tevinter mages. The death of so many supposedly tore the Veil, which separates the Fade and the real world. Its sinister air, and possessed flora, have led to many (and somewhat true) rumors and stories behind the ancient woods. (Just a creepy forest)http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Brecilian_Forest

Quel'Elhen: Once a part of the Brecilain Forest until the elves used a curious magical artifact that dates back to the time when they were once immortal, to cure the forest of its evil. It somehow sealed the parts of the Fade, and restored it back to its "normal" place. There is still something odd though, as mages detect subtle hits of magic everywhere in the forest. Its still tainted by magic, and is perhaps even more sinister then it use to be.

It borders Ostagar and stretches to the north, and to the east until it touches Gwaren. Is borders are routinely patrolled by the even armies, most notably the Rangers of the Arrow.

Revas’Thala: Capital of the Quel'Elhen elves, or High Elves. Its an important center of trading, but also of mystry and wonder. It is the focal point of the magic that is detected in the forests around it. Many mages on the run from the chantry come here to hide, as well as mages seeking to learn more about the mysteries. So far, no Templar units have been allowed to enter their lands, thus relying on the Rangers of the Arrow to deal with hostile mages.

The Fade: The Fade, known by the Dalish as the Beyond, is a metaphysical realm that is part of Thedas yet separated by the Veil. The Fade is split up into fiefs belonging to the spirits that live there, and they change the landscape of the Fade to emulate what they see in the minds of mortal dreamers. It is where we go when we die, and when we dream.

Classes: There are no established clases for this RPG, as long as they are fantasy, you can be anything, however, there are some ground rules that must be laid out. This is in the Dragon Age universe, so its rules on magic apply. Mages have their power by being able to access the Fade. Dwarves cannot access the Fade, so there are no Dwarven magic wielders of any type.

Grey Wardens are also in limited numbers in the beginning. There will be three or four, and I'm one of them. You can turn your character into a Grey Warden by meeting one, and undergoing the Joining. In order to successfully become a Gery Warden and not die, some out of RPG elements are required. In the OOC or in a PM, you will give me a number of say, between 1 and 15. If you guess the correct number within a 1 point error margin, you survive. If not, then your character dies. Someone else will hold the number as well, another Grey Warden, so you know I won't be cheating. The number is likely to change if you post it in the OOC.

I want you to have freedom to use your creativity and make an awesome character. Since three hundred years have pasted since DA 1, your armor can look like whatever you want.

Character Sheets: Before you begin building your character sheets, there are some rules and notes that you must be aware of. 1: There isn't a character limit or length requirement (please, no novels), build according to your own desire and capabilities. 2: I have designed the story so you can be a commoner, a warrior, or even a high ranking noble; such as one of the King's Sons. I want you to go where ever you want to be in this mess. You can fight politically, or with a blade. The choice is yours. you can make alliances with each other, or plot someone's demise. The Dragon Age Universe is now yours to command. 3: Starting Point: Up to you.

Name:

Gender:

Race:

Class: (Basically, what is your job?)

Age:

Affiliation: (Where do your loyalities lie? Not a requirement. Its possible to have multiple, and change later on. If you pick something though, it must match you class. You can have a Templar in the Legion of the Dead at the beginning.)

Appearance: (Explains itself. Tell us what your character looks like. Pictures are allowed. Detailed is wanted)

Starting equipment: (Be detailed here. I don’t want anyone pulling a sword out of their ass or hammerspace. If it isn’t present, you can’t use it unless you find it somewhere, and I doubt there will be supplies lying around. List Form with explanation would also be nice.

To make another note, your names and characters will be organized into a index, and put on the first post of the game thread. Along with a Quest Log. That will appear as soon as I get my CS up of the Warden Commander, Valmyria Windstrider.

You may reserve spots as well. However, be warned, I expect you to be active, if you will be gone for an extended amount of time, give us or me a heads up please, as people's characters have a tendency to die when they are gone. This will ensure that your character is preserved and that we can continue the game without it clogging up and dying.

Appearance: Caithe stands around 5'4" with a lithe body, common for the Elves. Like her fellow Elves, she lacks strength, but more than makes up for that with heightened agility. She's still surprisingly strong for an Elf though.

Her skintone is slightly tanned, while her hair is raven black. She keeps her hair quite long, with the sides of her head shaven clean, and binding the hair at the back into a long ponytail. A single lock of hair hangs on the right side of her face. Her eyes are amber yellow, with a penetrating gaze.

The most striking feature of Caithe is the myriad of scars that run across her body. Years of service under a cruel Tevinter Magister have left their traces. The most prominant scar has to be the burn wound on the right side of her face (and neck, shoulder and upper arm, but she keeps those covered). The position and angle of the burn scar almost makes it seem like she has a constant massive grin, at least from the right side. This is why she's nicknamed "The Grinning Dragon." That, and because she tends to be hot tempered.

The most curious feature of Caithe, is the web of tattoos running across her entire body. These are a result of the lyrium being engraved in her skin. They resemble the roots of a plant covering her body. They sometimes give off a dim blue light.

Personality: Simply put, Caithe is downright nuts. She's also violent, unpredictable, prideful, and extremely dangerous. Caithe started on this downward spiral when she was infused by pure lyrium by the Teventer magister Syrstorm. She eventually turned into his most proficient assassin, before turning on her creator, like a proper monster. Now she is one of the most feared assassins known in Ferelden.

Affiliation: Her only alliance lies with herself, and the person paying for her services.

Class: Entrepreneur, hireling, mercenary, thief, assassin, take your pick. If you got the gold, she can be what you need.

Skills/magic/abilities:

Stealth: Caithe shrouds herself in a cloud of shadows, bending the light around her, effectively rendering her invisible to the naked eye. This skill is only short lived, lasting up to 3 seconds and it doesn't cover any sounds made.

Phase shift: Thanks to the Lyrium markings on Caithe's body, she has gained the ability to cross short distances in an instant. A direct line of sight is required, and she cannot phase through solid objects such as walls. Mage's will be aware of her presence due to their stronger connection to Lyrium. Templars are unable to detect this skill, since it doesn't draw power from the Fade.

Anatomical knowledge: Caithe knows where to strike to make it hurt, whether to kill a target instantly, or to make them suffer for as long as she deems necessary.

History: Caithe cant remember anything from before her 12th birthday, or at least, the day magister Syrstorm celebrated her purchase. As a birthday present, he infused her with pure lyrium, after having discovered the lost notes of magister Darnarius.

The following years turned into a fuzzy mist of fighting and killing in his name, Syrstorm kept her under control by constantly administering her with doses of lyrium. He taught her how to kill, especially how to kill unseen. Thanks to Caithe, he rose in power as she butchered his opposition.

It wasn't until 10 years later, that the other elves in service of Syrstorm staged a revolt. Something not entirely uncommon in tevinter. They had made sure that Caithe was off the lyrium long enough for her mind to come back to her, as shattered as it was. She was send after Syrstorm. Monster killing creator, apprentice surpassing master. But no one became a magister without having some degree of power himself.

Caithe managed to severely hurt Syrstorm in the fight, but received a point blank fireball to the shoulder, throwing her out of the window of the third floor.

By the time Caithe regained consciousness, the revolt was already stemmed. It was sheer luck that she managed to land in the bushes beneath the building, breaking her fall and concealing her for the guards.

Bleeding and on the brink of death, she wandered the streets of Minrathous. People made sure to ignore her as best they could, since nobody wanted to be associated with an escaped elf, especially not one who was so severely hurt. They figured she'd die anyway, as the other elves in the revolt had.

It wasn't until she collapsed on the docks that someone took pity on her. A smuggler by the name of Hoyt took her onto his ship and patched her up as good as he could. Grateful, but distrustful of the smuggler, Caithe set to work on his boat for the next 6 years, before he was caught in Ferelden for smuggling goods.

Tired of traveling around, Caithe settled in Denerim, where she works as a mercenary for any who wishes to employ her.

This takes place about three hundred years after DAO, in the ironically named "Peace Age". I was hoping that the time distance from to two would make it so the decisions in DAO didn't matter as much. BUT I see a few things need to be ordered.

Broken Circle: The Circle was saved by the Warden

Arl of Redcliffe: Connor was saved with no deaths thanks to the Circle of Magi. The town was also saved from the undead.

Nature of the Beasts: The curse was lifted from the werewolves.

Urn of Sacred Ashes: The Urn was saved, and the Arl was healed.

A Paragon of Her Kind: The Anvil of the Void was kept, and Prince Bhelen Aeducan was chosen to be King. A later Dwarf King would restore the Assembly.

"Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange-looking weather-beaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud. A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits."

Skills/magic/abilities: Aside from William’s own natural physical strength and toughness, he wears a magic ring that boosts both his power and endurance even further. This allows William to carry with him incredibly heavy armor, shields, and weapons which transform him into a veritable walking tank. Although the ring does grant him incredible strength, even with the ring’s assistance the weight of his equipment still bogs down his movements to what you would expect from a heavily armored knight. Even without the ring William is renowned for his ferocity and relentlessness in battle, often times looking to challenge head on the most powerful foes on the battlefield by himself. One of the most frightening aspects of William’s battle abilities is that even with his terrifying rage taking hold over him, his skill and technique remains flawless.

Appearance: William is a broad shouldered and grizzled looking man. He is well built, stands at about 5’8” , and has a persistently arrogant look on his face most times. He is scruffy on his best days and a complete mess on his worst. There is a somewhat ruggedly handsome charm about the man, something that might make a person think if he ever cleaned himself up properly he might actually look presentable. However this isn’t something that William would ever do no matter how much someone would insist upon it. His short hair is a reddish brown color when it is clean, however usually it sports a grayish and dusty look to it from the cement he uses on his armor. It takes a good amount of water and soap to completely clear out all of the discoloration, so even after William washes there still usually remains a good amount of gray in his hair.

His eyes are an icy blue color and his face has perpetual stubble on it, even on days after he shaves it doesn’t take long for the stubble to return. William’s figure isn’t as bulky or overbearing as his incredible strength might suggest, in fact along with his short stature he doesn’t look overly intimidating at a first glance. He most certainly does give off the ‘tough guy’ vibe, however his size and shape belies his true ferocity and capabilities. As far as William’s clothing is concerned, he normally wears a simple black and gray kilt with a dark gray long sleeve v-neck shirt when he isn’t armored to the teeth.

Starting equipment: - http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6018/620 ... 305c_b.jpg-Full Heavy Plate Armor Set-Steel Studded Leather Armor (Worn under the plate armor)-Oiled Chain-mail (Worn under the leather armor)-Tower Shield-Dragon Tooth Club (Yes, a dragon tooth for a club)NOTE: Both William’s armor and shield are covered with a thick cement-like paste for added protection. It’s this paste that gives his armor a rocky look and texture, also earning him the nickname “Boulder Bill”. The paste gives substantial protection against arrows and magic, however blunt attacks can easily break apart large pieces of the paste at a time. It should also be mentioned that this paste was a calling card of sorts for William’s old mercenary group, they would apply the cement-paste onto their armor before each battle.

Personality: If one word were to be used to describe William, it would be “Stubborn”. William isn’t a person who likes to beat around the bush with anything, he’s straightforward, rash, and it’s his way or no way as far as he is concerned. One of his favorite things to say is “I may not always be right, but I am never wrong.” At times he can be a very abrasive person to deal with, he both deliberately and unintentionally pushes people away with his hard headed attitude towards most things. William may have been a team player at one point, and can at times show concerns for his fellow man, but he goes out of his way just to step on people’s toes and keep them at a distance. There are rare moments where William would let down his stony guard, usually when there are drinks, women, or children involved. He is a tough character, but shows respect and loyalty to those he feels has earned it. Those people are the ones who usually get to see past his rock hard defense, as it could even be said that he’s at least somewhat friendly towards those select few. His enemies on the other hand, are only met with a fierceness the likes of which they have never seen before. There is no subtlety in the way that William fights his opponents, the people that he decides are enemies simply get crushed into dust.

History: William was orphaned as a baby, his parents having been killed by the very same mercenary group that took him in as one of their own. This was a very common practice for the group to raise small children up as warriors, submitting them to harsh training from a young age and training them in the ways of battle. William was just another one of these warriors, being groomed into a powerful weapon that thrived on the battlefield. He quickly worked his way up the ranks in the group, showing fearlessness and strength that even the most veteran of warriors found impressive. As he grew older and gained more freedom within the group, he started to realize how he did not completely agree with the way the group operated.

The brutality and mercilessness of his group was well known amongst mercenaries, due mostly to the fact that their leader showed no compassion for innocents and enemies alike. Even if he did not agree with the man, he still followed him loyally for a time. But as the years passed and their leader’s actions became crueler by the day, William’s loyalty began to falter. He began to question the commander’s decisions more openly, even starting arguments in-front of the rest of the group just to prove a point. Several others in the mercenary group agreed with William’s objections and too started to question the way that their group conducted business. This did not gather positive attention from their commander and from the people still loyal to his ways.

Eventually the internal discord came to a head while the group was on a scouting mission. The commander had given an order to make camp at the opening of a cave so that the group could rest for the night. During that night the commander and the rest of the loyalists snuck away in secret, springing their trap while William and the others were sound asleep. They set off a small explosion at the mouth of the cave, closing it off from the outside world and trapping those left inside. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it turned out that the small cave that they had made camp at was near a dragon’s nest, a small explosion was enough to rouse the massive dragon and its drakes from their slumber. A bloody and brutal battle ensued between the mercenaries and the Dragons. In a stroke of luck for those trapped inside, the massive dragon actually burst through the opening of the cave at one point, creating a small opening for the mercenaries to attempt an escape. However the dragons were not finished with the mercenaries and wouldn’t let them leave without a fight.

Not many people know what actually happened that day besides William and a handful of other survivors, many rumors and embellishments have been born from that event, especially ones about William. One such rumor is that during the battle William’s warhammer was broken, so he then tore off his helmet and began to beat drakes to death with it. Another rumor is that William fought the battle in the nude, however this one has been reportedly denied by William. But one of the stories that remains constant no matter who tells it is the one about how William managed to kill the massive dragon on his own. It’s said that the dragon had snatched William up in its jaws, attempting to swallow him whole as he clung for dear life on the dragon’s teeth. It was then that the man let his rage take hold of him, and William proceeded to knock out the dragon’s teeth from the inside of its mouth. With the dragon in a frenzy William grabbed hold of one of the larger teeth and stabbed it through the creature’s skull, killing it instantly. Another rumor is that after doing this he shouted at the top of his lungs towards the ones that had betrayed them “COME AT ME BRETHEREN!! FOR I AM SURE TO RIP YOUR TEETH FROM YOUR SKULLS AND BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH THEM AS WELL!!”. William has never denied that last rumor, and since the incident he has kept close ties with the underworld, often times participating in underground street fights. He uses his current connections to find the ones who betrayed him, apparently wanting to keep good on his previous promise involving their teeth.

Starting point: TBA

(The Songs aren’t a requirement, just a fun little thing you can do if you want.)Theme song:Battle theme:

Last edited by BG07 on Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:19 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Skills/magic/abilities: With an above average mana pool, Laila's abilities include barriers and wards, primal elemental magic leaning more towards frost element spells, and most importantly, healing. Her specialty and studies focused mostly on healing, and she always had a knack for it. She displays many abilities typically shown by spirit healers. She can heal most basic and moderate level cuts and bruises and broken bones quickly, can fix up most injuries without a kit, and can even tackle many sicknesses. She is also skilled in mixing potions and poultices, making her valuable to those suffering from poisons or disease, and can even mix special concoctions that can knock out opponents if administered discreetly(more along the lines of anesthetic rather than poison). She can also be rather persuasive at times, preferring peaceful methods of ending conflicts. She also has special abilities exclusive to the fade. Within its confines, she is able to shapeshift into various forms at will. In addition to that, she is able to see demons for what they are, as their illusions do not work on her.

Spirit Healer: Laila's abilities as a spirit healer are peculiar; while a benevolent spirit of the fade follows her and watches over her, she made no deals with it. Having mastered all the skills relevant to this tree by will of her own ability, she could easily be considered a savant. See also:Spirit Healers in DA:Origins, Spirit Healers in DA2

Holy Ward: With a wave of her staff, Laila can summon a mostly transparent(with a pale blue slightly glowing edge), spherical shield around her and any allies that stand near her, blocking nearly all physical and most magic attacks. The bigger the ward and the longer she holds it up, the more taxing it is on her stamina. She can hold it up longer than most magi due to her exemplary mana pool. A less taxing version of this was used by her to help Amir escape the Circle of Magi; she used the ward to keep the waters of Lake Calenhad from drowning them as they walked along the bottom of the lake bed. Without a staff, her wards are weaker as they are unfocused, but they are still effective against most attacks.

Fade Sight: Within the fade, the benevolent spirit watching over Laila embraces her eyesight and allows her to see past the illusions the demons of the fade would otherwise inflict upon her. In combination with her strong will, she is a force to be reckoned with within the fade, and most weaker demons avoid her out of fear, while conversely attracting more powerful ones. As of yet, however, she has dealt with these powerful demons almost terrifyingly quickly and cleanly. Outside the fade, this gives her an additional resistance to blood magic.

Shapeshifting: Currently, her shapeshifting abilities are limited mostly to the fade. Laila can transform into various forms at will, from a golem to a mouse and so on and so forth. She is currently researching the topic of shapeshifting in the real world and is making steady progress, being able to turn into mostly harmless creatures such as a tiny white owl, a small calico cat, and a little red fox.

Lesser Skills -

Herbalism/Alchemy: Laila can concoct potions, poultices, salves, and various other medicinal remedies from herbs and various other things scattered about Thedas. She is quite skilled at it, and much of the coin she and Amir earn/will earn will be thanks to peddling the fruits of this talent. She is also capable of making more trivial things, such as perfumes and insect repellents.

Coercion: Being a sweet, innocent looking girl has its benefits. Laila knows how to act polite and bat her lashes when she needs to, and often gets some rather good bargains from merchants with her wiles.

Language: With a lifetime of study under her belt, Laila's picked up a few extra languages; she can't speak them fluently due to a lack of conversational partners, but asking for directions or a little bit of light bartering is a simple matter, and she can read and translate complex texts in foreign tongues as if they were native to her.

Appearance: With messy, wavy brown hair that typically covers her face if left untied and tan skin, Laila tends to fade into shadows easily, often appearing as bookish and meek with little effort. She typically ties her hair into a braid, twin braids, a ponytail or a messy bun, opting to keep it out of her way, though her bangs tend to escape any method of taming she attempts. Her eyes are a bright and lively blue, though sunken and with permanent dark circles from too many nights of opting to study instead of sleep. She is rarely seen without a book, and even more rarely seen without her staff. Her body is somewhat pudgy(though not stocky or fat) and weak from a lifetime of doing nothing but reading and practicing magic. She is, of course, an elf, and is generally smaller than humans by nature, but even by elven standards she is considered rather short in stature, standing at a mere 4'11". If she took the time to sleep and care for herself better, she would be rather pretty, but instead she seems rather like a dark little ghost. Because she is a tad bit pudgy, it makes her seem younger than she is as it rounds out her face. She has small hands and feet, and a scar on her chest that she hides under her robes and cloak. She rarely is seen without a cloak.

- Frost: A blue steel staff with similar properties to Wintersbreath that breaks apart for easier storage, and gives an additional bonus to healing spells and mana regeneration

- Various herbs and flasks and portable equipment for potion making (such as a mortar and pestle)

- Medicine, potions, and poultices for first aid and any fevers or colds, all self-made

- Various books and scrolls "borrowed" from the Ferelden Circle tower

- A dark blue hooded cloak with silver filigree that gives a hefty bonus to frost resistance and mana regeneration

- A set of robes similar to the Wings of Velvet mod in buffs. It has thick fingered gloves rather than fingerless and leather boots padded with wool for insulation; these give her a bonus to frost magic as well as healing spells and mana regeneration. They look like this.

- Waist satchels with straps to hold her sleeping roll

- Her sleeproll

- Some food (cheese, bread, preserved meats, some confectioneries)

- Tattered hair ribbons

- A leather flask

- Sewing/embroidery kit

- Small cast-iron pan for cooking while on the road

Personality: Laila is rather meek and bookish around most people she first meets, but after warming up to someone, she displays a knack for colorful swears and a near masochistic obsession with study. To people she is required to be polite to, however, such as the First Enchanter, addressing them with respect and holding her tongue when it came to more uncouth language was not difficult. She actually adored living in the Circle, having been surrounded by books and scrolls she was free to examine to her desire, though she wasn't particularly as enamored by the Templars. While she was always easy prey for harassment and easily taken advantage of, Amir was always there to save her, and thus she has an unwavering attachment to him despite any wrongs he may do. She tends to be very domestic and motherly, cleaning and cooking and fussing over people she cares about and generally taking care of things. She can be a little mischievous at times, playing small tricks on Amir such as putting ribbons in his hair while he sleeps, but at the same time is usually the more mature figure between the two, often acting as the voice of reason. She is clever and cunning, and while her constitution is weak and she tends to fall ill frequently, her wits and intellect more than make up for it. Laila is exceptionally intelligent, exemplified by her lust for devouring the knowledge contained within books. She can read several different languages, including Dwarven and Tevinter, though she can't speak them fluently due to a lack of conversational partners growing up, and is also quite good at mathematics and formulas. She only knows of the world through books and history, however, so from time to time she can display her innocence.

History: Laila and her twin sister Leila were born in the Denerim alienage to a former Tevinter slave of a father and a city elf mother. The mother, formerly a Circle mage, was an apostate in hiding, and Laila inherited her abilities, while her twin sister was non-magical like their father. As their father hated mages and anything to do with magic, their mother kept her abilities a secret. For a few years they were happy, until Laila began to display her affinity for magic. Her mother tried desperately to hide her daughter's abilities from her husband, but it became more and more difficult. When Laila and Leila were still little girls, they played in the yard in front of their home one day. Leila fell and scraped her knee, and Laila unintentionally healed her with magic. Unfortunately she was caught by one of their neighbors, and the Templars came to take her away to Ferelden's Circle tower within hours. Her mother, in the process of resisting the Templars, used blood magic and became an abomination to protect Laila, but in the end was killed by them. Her father and twin sister made it obvious they would not miss her, treating the then gentle Laila as a monster. The Templars who took her to the tower, while firm, were kind to her, and when she arrived she was taken under the wing of an elven boy a few years older than her. With her family having abandoned her, she became attached to the boy, Amir, and found a new hobby in reading, absorbing herself completely in the books and knowledge surrounding her. With Amir having a penchant for trouble, Laila improved her skill in healing with him, even researching potions and poultices. While her mentors and even the First Enchanter adored her lust for knowledge and willingness to tutor her peers, her fellow magi treated her with jealousy or only befriended her to take advantage of her willingness to tutor them. Because of this, she tended to keep to herself, only really being close to her friend, confidant, and surrogate brother figure Amir. As she grew older, her skill in healing magic became apparent, and she became one of the youngest to not only survive her Harrowing, but have it be one of the quickest and cleanest the Templars had seen in some time. Amir seemed to have other plans, however, and despite being older than her, he seemed to have been denied his Harrowing. This would lead to a spiral of events that didn't bode well for the young healer. Amir was dabbling in blood magic, but Laila helped him destroy his phylactery along with her own, and aided him in escaping the Circle, thus branding her as an apostate and permanently tainting her otherwise spotless record.

Starting point: Between Orzammar and Haven with Amir

Theme song: -Battle theme: -

Additional Notes:-Laila is exceptional at healing magic, and many consider her a savant. She feels the presence of a benevolent spirit aiding her at times, but never mentioned it to anyone except Amir.

-Laila loves to read. Regularly feeding her addiction to books and scrolls will quickly guarantee her affection. Her personal plot items would be her mother's old staff, obtainable from her sister in Denerim's alienage, and a book of poultice and potion recipes to heal scars. Standard gifts would include hair ribbons(pretty ones from Orlais would be well received), books, and rarer ingredients for potions. One would have to be on friendly, or at least tolerant, terms with Amir in order to win her affection.

-Laila's cooking is still a work in progress. While not terrible at the start, it's usually hit or miss, but she'll improve greatly with practice. She didn't have much opportunity to learn as meals were usually a group effort at the Circle.

-Embroidery and sewing are strong suits of hers. She did the filigree on her cloak herself, and frequently repairs Amir's clothes.

-She has a weak constitution and tends to get sick easily, but always has medicine prepared just in case.

-She is absolutely terrified of Templars, and seems to flinch or become silent when approached by men with flirtatious intentions. Despite her fears, she can still fight them if she needs to. The fear is deeply engraved into her from a scarring memory involving a male Templar who took advantage of her before she left the Circle.

-She is also afraid of knives, and even when cooking she is careful with holding one.

Last edited by Deena on Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:11 pm, edited 10 times in total.

Devour: Isador Consumes the essence from his fallen foes, healing wounds with every foe he slays.

Aura of Pain:: Isador has learned that his pain may harm his enemies as well, and so he has learned to share the pain he feels with others. Unstable, Isador also harms allies near him with this ability.

Mental Fortress: Years of training as a templar cannot simply be forgotten. Isador still retains the resistances in his mind that he has built up from years of hunting mages.

Righteous Terror: Isador has learned to blend his powers as a Templar and a Reaver together. When activated his blows weaken the will of regular combatants who face his axe, yet mages who fall prey to it find there mana depleted as well as their courage.

Spell Purge: With renewed faith and will, Isador can dispel all hostile magic within 5 meters around him.

Appearance: Isador is a man with a powerful presence, standing at 6'3" with a strong build. His face (when not in combat) always seems devoid of any passion or mercy, a look that only ever seems to be lifted while in the presence of children. His striking icy blue eyes seem to stare straight through you...as if making eye contact with the Black Axe reveals all your secrets to him. Despite his erratic behavior and the emotionless stare of a madman Isador maintains his appearance, keeping his jet black hair trimmed short and his face shaved.

Unseen beneath his clothing hides several scares from old wounds taken in battle, covering most of his body. When unarmored, Isador wears common clothes, having been raised in the chantry he holds no taste for fancy attire. Most often he wears a simple grey shirt and brown pants with a pair of worn leather boots.

History: Isador Strauss' story is one that the chantry tells new Templar recruits to warn them of straying from the noble path. Orphaned as a child, Isador was raised in the chantry and took to its preaching's with a fervent faith, never questioned its teachings. At the age of 10 he began to watch the Templars train in the art of combat and found them to be nothing short of inspiring. From then on he began to double is prayers and train his body, hoping to be worthy of Templar training.

When he came of age to begin the training, Isador plunged his whole being into the trails. Even from his initial testings Isador proved himself to be the best of his pupils and distinguished himself with his peculiar talent with a battle axe rather then the traditional sword. His resistance to the use of Lyrium further intrigued his teachers, prompting them to dose him with slightly higher amounts of the substance. With every new trial put before him Isador forced himself to be the best and eventually accomplished his dream, becoming a full fledged templar.

For years Isador was a paragon of his order and many viewed him as a source of inspiration. But with every noble goal reached, even the purest souls find enemies. After a decade of work, Isador was given a mission by the leader of the Templars in Fereldan, a man Isador had marked as being unscrupulous in his methods. Isador hunted down the listed mage....but what he found caught him off guard. Hiding in a dark, damp cave was a girl no older then ten, crying and shivering with fear.

While suspicious, Isador had never questioned his orders before...and did not do so this time. He brought the girl back and turned her in to the chantry as commanded but did something he had never done before...he asked what the girl had done. The Tempar leader told him that she had done blood magic and was to be made tranquil and was told to leave the subject alone. Normally Isador would have done so....but something in the girls eyes made him wonder.

That night he followed his commanding officer to a secret meeting and discovered that the leaders of the order in the area had been involved in coercing several female mages in to depraved acts.....including the young girl. Outraged, Isador revealed himself and promised to reveal the truth. The commanding officers merely laughed, saying that they had been doing this for years, and have taken care of each mage, including the girl so that no evidence could be brought against them.

Learning this horrid truth shattered Isador's faith...in that moment he saw only red, coming back to his senses some time later covered in blood, all but one of the men lying dead, mutilated on the ground, the last survivor cowering in fear in the corner. When the guards finally heard screams from the room all they found was the lone survivor, with the word traitor carved in to his chest with the rest of the dead.

From that day forward Isador had forsaken his order, traveling the world as a mercenary, learning more and more of the revel that bloodshed can bring to a wayward soul. The details of what happened on the day Isador left the order have been twisted to serve the Templars, but so long as Strauss lives, the truth of the corruption lives as well, and so those involved send assassin after assassin against the Black Axe....only to find the bodies of their hirelings in the aftermath.

Personality: Once, Isador was kind, stalwart individual who would do anything for his brothers in arms...These days Isador barely speaks to anyone, mostly only for mercenary work. His stern, emotionless face tends to make most avoid even making eye contact with him as he walks the streets or drinks in the local tavern.

While a new found reveler of the feel of warm blood spattered on his face, Isador has never once harmed a child since that fateful mission. However he has been known to draw his axe from simply being insulted by some drunken fool who cant hold his tongue. Isador now holds Templars with a mix of pity and resentment, finding them fools too blind to the truth, but also as former family who he cannot save from their fate. While he holds no prejudice against the nonhuman races, Isador has no problem killing anyone(excluding children) for the right price.

When in the midst of battle, Isador seems to become a different person entirely, a veritable embodiment of fear and death to his enemies. Being new to the ways of the Reaver, Isador as yet to learn to control his Aura of Pain completely, causing pain to even his allies in battle. Isador has been known to unnerve even a few hardened mercs with the wicked grin he bares, the howling laughter, and the wild look of his eyes as either he or his enemies draws blood. Some say that this erratic behavior is proof that the Black Axe is insane....a rumor Isador has yet to speak out against...

Starting Equipment:

The Black Axe: Isador wields a two-handed battleaxe made of black steel he found in a Tevinter weapon shop, the blade is warped and wickedly sharp. Those who taste its edge are rumored to be cursed and hunted by demons of the fade.

Heavy Plate Mail without Helmet: A well crafted suit of plate mail acquired from a dead warrior, Isador wears no helm so that he may have no restriction to his sight...so that he can watch his enemy die without obstruction

Ring of Poison Resistance: A simple golden band that helps protect the wielder from all sorts of poisons....Isador sometimes takes the ring off when drinking if he is sure the alcohol isnt poisoned.